The giraumon

Following the example of Parmentier (1737-1813) that published in 1781a treatise : “Research on nutritious vegetables that in times of shortage might replace usual food“, people tried to find new food. Parmentier proposed to transform potatoes into a sort of starch with a machine he invented. Others invented machines to transform the famous tuber into vermicelli.

Giraumon weeds

Niépce for his part,tried to extract nutrious starch from a type of gourd,the “giraumont“,also known as the “turkish bonnet“ to which it resembles in an astonishing way.“We ate many times of this starch that we found very good and very light“ declared Nicephore..

A National Heritage Site preserved by the Photography School Spéos, labelled "Maisons des illustres" by the French Ministry of Culture, with the sponsorship of the Académie des sciences & de l'Académie des beaux-arts